


Who Guards the Guardian?

by imaginary_golux



Series: October Ficlet Challenge [11]
Category: Arthurian Mythology
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Caretaking, Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-06
Updated: 2017-10-06
Packaged: 2019-01-10 02:14:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12289059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginary_golux/pseuds/imaginary_golux
Summary: Prompt 6: Role reversalArthur and Guinevere wish to express the depth of their adoration of Lancelot. It would help if he'd stop getting so banged up.Prompt and beta by my Best Beloved, Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw.





	Who Guards the Guardian?

“For once, dear one,” Arthur says quietly, “let us serve _you_.”

Lancelot grins weakly, leaning back against the door as though he has not the strength to stand on his own - which he might not. “I would argue, my liege, but I do not think I can muster my thoughts sufficiently,” he says.

Arthur and Guinevere exchange a quick, speaking glance - by this point in their marriage they can often communicate entirely without words, especially on a matter so near to both their hearts as this. Arthur is easily strong enough to support Lancelot as he helps his best knight away from the door; Guinevere’s hands are agile enough to strip the greaves from Lancelot’s legs, the pauldrons and vambraces from his arms. It takes both of them to get him out of the rest of his armor and padding, leaning him up against the bedpost so he won’t fall over - Lancelot laughs a little, wearily, as he loses his balance again and Arthur quickly props him up - and then when he is naked Arthur shrugs a little and just picks him up entirely, carrying him over to the tub by the fire without too much difficulty.

“Did I know you could do that, husband?” Guinevere asks curiously.

“ _I_ certainly didn’t,” Lancelot says, and then hisses a little as Arthur lowers him carefully into the warm water and the many small cuts and abrasions littering his body smart at the heat. His sore muscles, though, are very glad of the warmth, and the tub is long enough - prerogative of the king to have a lovely big bathtub - that Lancelot can immerse very nearly all his body. He leans back against the copper wall with a sigh.

“I may not be the finest knight in the world, but I can still hold my own,” Arthur says cheerfully. “There now, rest a moment while I go and find the horse liniment.”

“Horse liniment?” Guinevere asks, settling down on a stool behind Lancelot and beginning to cup handfuls of water over his sweaty hair, taking care that it not run down his face.

“Merlin makes it, and it’s the finest thing in the world for bruises, but he refuses to call it anything else,” Arthur explains.

“The finest liniment for the finest knight,” Guinevere says, amused, and as Arthur rummages in a chest at the foot of the bed she leans over Lancelot’s shoulder and presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Did you have to fight _both_ giants by yourself?”

“There wasn’t time to send for aid,” Lancelot says sheepishly. “And there was only one to start with - the other one showed up halfway through.”

“Only one,” Arthur says, shaking his head as he returns with the liniment and a bar of the _good_ soap, not the harsh stuff the knights usually get. “Most of us would want a little help with even _one_ giant, you know.”

“Am I not Lancelot the Mighty?” Lancelot asks lightly, grinning.

“Currently you are Lancelot the Mightily Bruised,” Arthur says, and Guinevere dissolves in helpless giggles, resting her head on a thankfully unharmed spot on Lancelot’s shoulder and shaking with mirth.

“My king mocks me,” Lancelot says mournfully, making Guinevere laugh harder. Arthur shakes his head at both of them and drags a stool over to the other end of the tub, sitting down and reaching into the warm water to wrap his fingers around one of Lancelot’s ankles.

“Oh, be still and let us bathe you,” he says, and Lancelot nods and relaxes as his lovers wash the blood and muck of battle from his limbs with gentle hands. He is so _very_ tired - a battle against two giants is not precisely easy even if one _is_ Lancelot the Mighty, Champion of Camelot - and the water is so warm, and he is in a place of safety, which is rare indeed for the finest knight of the Round Table -

Arthur looks at Guinevere over their sleeping lover and grins. “It’s a very good thing I _can_ lift him, isn’t it?” he asks wryly.

“So it is, my lord,” Guinevere says, grinning back. “Do you think we can get him into bed without waking him?”

Arthur lifts Lancelot carefully out of the water and Guinevere pats him dry with the softest towel they have, and then pulls the sheets back so Arthur can put him down gently. Guinevere fetches the pot of horse liniment, and they spend several minutes finding each bruise and contusion on their sleeping lover’s body, both shaking their heads.

“Any other knight would have half a dozen broken bones,” Arthur says, straightening at last.

“Any other knight would be _dead_ ,” Guinevere points out.

“True,” Arthur agrees, and pulls the sheets up over Lancelot, smoothing them out softly and bending to place a gentle kiss on the sleeping knight’s forehead. “You noble idiot,” he murmurs. “Next time call for aid. I do not know what we would do without you.”

“Even were he awake, I misdoubt me that he would heed you,” Guinevere says wearily, tucking herself under her husband’s arm with an arm around his waist. “He certainly hasn’t the _last_ dozen times you’ve bade him take care.”

“Nor never will, I know,” Arthur sighs. “Do you join him, dear one. He will sleep the better with you in his arms. And for once, I shall sit the watch, and keep him safe the long night through.”

“Then he is safe indeed, as am I too,” Guinevere says, and kisses Arthur softly before sliding into bed behind Lancelot and resting her head on his shoulder. Arthur sits down on the side of the bed, leaning back against the headboard, and rests his hand on Lancelot’s other shoulder, and watches the fire burn down to coals, his loves for once kept safe beneath his hand.

**Author's Note:**

> So Best Beloved and I are doing an October ficlet challenge. We each generated a list of pairings we'd be willing to write and a list of prompts we wanted the other person to write, and then traded prompts lists without knowing what the other person's pairing lists were. We'll be doing a ficlet each every day in October. Should be fun!
> 
> I am, as ever, imaginarygolux on tumblr.


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